I thought Mitt Romney’s speech last night was excellent! It is so refreshing to hear a candidate espouse what is good about the United States rather than what we have witnessed over the past term of the current president.

While I realize that our problems are certainly challenging, it is not as if we have never faced obstacles before.

What I found the most striking about Romney’s speech was the stark contrast between he and Barak Obama as leaders. No matter what you may think of Romney and his policies, it is evident that he is an exceptional leader, while Barak Obama is not.

Leaders don’t make excuses for their failures, they take responsibility. This president in contrast spends a great deal of time blaming others for his lack of accomplishments, and seems to refuse to acknowledge the reality that he and his administration has made numerous blunders that are a great part of the problem rather than the solution to the difficulties we face.

I have to admit that Romney was far from my first choice for the presidency, but after witnessing his resolve, and hearing about his character it is evident that he is the right man for this hour. We need a leader in the White House who understands what it takes to grow business, and who will challenge China and other countries on trade, rather than constantly acquiescing to their demands.

One of the greatest pitfalls to leadership can be a refusal to deal with the way things really are, rather than how we would like to see them play out in an idealistic world. This current president refuses to live in reality, and because of this he is forever politicizing every situation. This is not leadership, and it is not what we need from our Commander and Chief.

The fact is that either Barak Obama or Mitt Romney will be the next president of the United States. Obama has clearly demonstrated that he lacks the abilities that are required to lead this nation, and turn our economy around. Instead he spends his time and energies pandering to special interest groups who will support his reelection. This reminds me of the phrase, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned.”

We simply cannot afford another four years of the failed leadership and policies of this president. If we do not change direction the United States may be beyond the point of return. Is this really what you want your grandchildren to inherit? A broken down nation that is more like the likes of Greece?

This reminds me of the 1980s when Jimmy carter was president. The job market was flat, inflation was at double digit numbers, and the morale of our nation was sinking. Then along came Ronald Regan. He was a straight talker, who understood that “government is not the solution to the problem. Government was the problem.” Regan cut red tape for businesses, removed many government pork projects, strengthened our military, and infused the country with a sense of hope and pride.

As a result the U.S. economy surged, and nations feared to test the resolve of our leadership. We have enjoyed nearly two decades of prosperity and strength as a result of the Reagan years, and policies.

Now the time has come that is very similar, and we once again need a president who is a straight talker. Who will not bow before the likes of the Saudis, and apologize for our country, but who will lead from a point of conviction and strength. This is what true leadership looks like, and it is exactly why the United States of America needs Mitt Romney right now!

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The Church was birthed by the Spirit of God in a blaze of glory. (Acts 1:1-8 NKJV) “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

It is significant that the church was birthed on the day of Pentecost for several reasons.

The day of Pentecost signified the giving of the law of God.

The day of Pentecost occurred exactly 50 days from the feast of Passover.

The Children of Israel met with God on Mt.Sinai where Moses first received the law of God. This occurred exactly 50 days after they ate the Passover meal in Egypt.

The church received the Holy Spirit who writes the law of God upon our hearts instead of tablets exactly 50 days after the sacrifice of Jesus the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb.

God wanted Israel to become an entire nation of kings and priests, but they feared the presence of God.

When the church was born every believer became a king and a priest unto God.

(Hebrews 12:18-24 NLT) You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did atMount Sinai when God gave them his laws. {19} For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice with a message so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. {20} They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” {21} Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.” {22} No, you have come toMountZion, to the city of the living God, the heavenlyJerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. {23} You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect. {24} You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.

The Formation of the Church: “I will build My Church…” (Matthew 16:13-19 NKJV) When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” {14} So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” {15} He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” {16} Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” {17} Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. {18} “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. {19} “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

In this passage Jesus makes two very important statements concerning the church. He declares that He is the one who will build the church, (revealing that the origin of the church is divine, and not the work of man’s hands).

He declares that the church will be built upon the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that as such the very gates (or strength) of hell itself will never overcome it. The church was formed by the hand of God, and not through the efforts of man. (Psalm 127:1 NKJV)Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

The church came about as a result of salvation, and as such the true church could no more be brought about through the work of man’s hands than salvation can by obtained through the efforts of man.

The believer is the work of God, and God alone. (Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, {9} not of works, lest anyone should boast. {10} For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

(Titus 3:5 NKJV)… not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

The proper order is God’s order. (1 Chronicles 13:1-10 NKJV)…{7} So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart…

Man always seems to want to try to carry the glory of God on the man made carts of our own understanding. (John 4:23-24 NKJV) “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. {24} “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

God never fits those molds, and will always break out of those confines. (1 Chronicles 15:1-13 NKJV) David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said, “No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever.” 3 And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it…..12 He said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. 13 “For because you did not do it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”

Man is always trying to turn from God’s prescribed way, and turn the church into something made after the liking of man. (Mark 7:1-13 NKJV)…{7} And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ {8} “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men; the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” {9} He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. {10} “For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ {11} “But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”; ‘ (that is, a gift to God), {12} “then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, {13} “making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

We must keep our eyes fixed upon Christ and His word so as to not create something that has a form of the church but is not true to what God ascribes.

(2 Timothy 3:5 KJV) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

(GWT) 5 They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people.

(Colossians 2:6-10 NKJV) As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, {7} rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. {8} Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. {9} For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; {10} and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

(NLT)…{8} Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.

(Colossians 2:19 NLT) But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.

Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, {2} looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(NLT) 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.

(GWT) 2 We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith.

The Church, like the individual believer is totally dependant upon Jesus Christ.(John 15:1-8 NKJV)…{4} “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.{5}…for without Me you can do nothing.

The same life that flows through the vine flows through the branch.

We have many forerunners who have gone before us to prepare the way for the church.Israelwas the congregation in the wilderness, whereas the church is the congregation in heaven and earth today. The formation of the church was that of glory, and although man has always attempted to turn it into something less than glorious, Jesus Himself will see to it that His church is built upon the solid foundation of Himself alone.